Collapsible article container

ABSTRACT

A collapsible article container includes a pair of side walls connected along side edges and a transverse bottom edge defining an interior pouch volume having a sealable entrance opening and an air purge mechanism in communication with the pouch to provide air evacuation from the pouch through a volume reduction port. The air purge mechanism includes truncated, transverse, seals defining a restricted flow path in communication with the pouch volume through one passage and in communication with a volume reduction port through another. The collapsible article container may be reused after removal of a contained article by insertion of an article into the pouch volume, exposing the volume reduction port to atmosphere, and expelling entrained air from the pouch volume through the passages and restricted flow path of the air purge mechanism. In one form the pouch includes a closable strip spaced inwardly from the top edge.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims the benefit of, and priorityfrom U.S. Provisional Application 61/426,607 filed Dec. 23, 2010, thecontents of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to flexible walled, collapsible, articlecontainers made of polymeric film and methods of use of such containers.More particularly, it relates flexible walled, collapsible, articlecontainers made of polymeric film having multiple use capability.

Many forms of sealed article containers exist. One category, flexiblewalled collapsible article containers of polymeric film, plastic bags,represent a cost efficient packaging arrangement. Articles such asclothing are often packaged in sealed plastic bags for initial deliveryto the consumer.

In some instances, the packages are filled with an article to bedelivered, evacuated to minimize volume and sealed. Such an arrangementeliminates entrained air in the packaged article and minimizes thevolume of the package. Such containers are used to transport garments orother articles in a waterproof and contaminant free environment. Theusefulness of such containers is diminished on opening by the consumerand the container usually then discarded.

Also, plastic bag configurations are commercially available with asealable entrance opening. Such bags include a releasable latchingmechanism sometimes in the form of connectible channels that interengageto form a seal. Examples are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,070,584,5,664,299 and 5,647,100.

Evacuatable, flexible walled collapsible storage containers are alsoknown. They are made from heavy duty plastic film and include a valve orport for connection to an evacuation device.

Such containers are arranged for reuse and include a closure mechanismto reestablish a sealed enclosure for contained articles. They arearranged for evacuation of entrained air from the defined chamber tominimize volume and maximize space utilization. “Space Bags” forexample, available from ITW, San Diego, Calif., and are sold empty, inpackages of multiple bags.

While these various configurations of flexible walled collapsiblearticle containers are individually available, none are known toaccomplish all of these desired functions.

SUMMARY

The article container of this disclosure provides the desiredcapabilities of initial use as a sealed article container, andsubsequent use as a reclosable, general purpose article container thatpossess the capability to provide space conservation through overallvolume reduction after filling, all in a single container structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially broken away, of the collapsible articlecontainer of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the collapsible article container of FIG. 1showing it as a sealed and evacuated container initially filled with anarticle for delivery to a consumer.

FIG. 3 is a view of the collapsible article container, refilled andemployed by the user to provide short term compression of the containerand contents to a minimum volume condition for storage or packing withother articles.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the collapsible article container of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a flexible walled collapsible article container10 used for packaging of manufactured goods for initial delivery to aconsumer and subsequent reuse as a general purpose sealable container ora compressible storage container for minimum volume configuration. It ismade of thermoplastic polymeric film.

A film suitable for container 10 is low density polyethylene film,though other polymeric films could be used. In the illustrated form, thecontainer is about fourteen inches (14″) wide. The film contemplated forthis type of article container is from two (2) to ten (10) mils thick.It is illustrated as a pouch to contain, for example, a garment,miscellaneous toiletries or other articles.

The specific size of the container 10 and thickness of the film isillustrative only and may be varied as desired for specificapplications. Since the collapsible article container may reside in anyorientation, the terms top, bottom, side, upper, lower, etc., are usedto describe the embodiment of the illustrations and are not intended tolimit the scope of the disclosure. Similarly as used herein for purposesof understanding of the disclosure the term “inner” or “inward” as usedherein means toward the interior of the pouch formed by the collapsiblearticle container.

In the illustrated embodiments, container 10 is formed by a pair ofpolymeric side wall sheets 14 and 16 sealed together along side edges 18and 20 by side seal strips 22 and 24. Side seal strips 22 and 24illustrated are about one-quarter inch (¼″) wide and formed by heatsealing together the interior surfaces of sheets 14 and 16.Alternatively, the side walls 14 and 16 of container 10 could be formed,for example, from a single sheet, folded in half upon itself and sealedalong one edge. In another form, side walls 14 and 16 could be formed bya continuous tubular sheet of film flattened upon itself to form sidewalls 14 and 16. The manner of forming the side walls or the number orwidth of the seal strips are not significant to the features of thedisclosure.

Container or pouch 10 is sealed along transverse bottom edge 26 by abottom transverse seal strip 28 which is formed similarly to side sealstrips 22 and 24. A transverse top edge 30 defines an open mouthentrance opening 31 for filling. It is later closed by transverse topseal strip 32 during the process of filling as will be explained. Thedefined volume within the container or pouch 10 is thereby completelyisolated from the surrounding atmosphere.

Transverse top seal strip 32 and transverse bottom seal strip 28 areformed by heat sealing and are also about one-quarter inch (¼″) in widththough this dimension, like the others, is for illustration and is notlimiting.

In the illustrated embodiment, spaced inwardly from transverse top edge30, that is, toward transverse bottom edge 26, there is provided aclosure mechanism 34. The longitudinal spacing between transverse topedge 30 and closure mechanism 34 provides a tubular portion 35 forconnection to evacuation equipment for evacuation of the internal voidarea or container volume. After evacuation, the top edge 30 is closedwith transverse top seal strip 32 to create an evacuated container 10 ofminimum internal volume. Thereafter, access to the content of thepackage 10 is accomplished by rupture of the film sheets 14 or 16 in thetubular portion 35 for example by cutting along dotted line 37 whichthereafter defines the top edge of container 10.

The closure mechanism 34 is illustrated is a dual channel, “press toclose” arrangement in common use for reusable polymeric collapsiblearticle containers. Examples can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,070,584and 5,647,100 though numerous seals of this general type exist and wouldbe suitable.

The illustrated closure mechanism 34 includes “U” shaped channelelements adhered to the interior surface of each sheet 14 and 16 withthe legs of the “U” shape facing the legs of the “U” shape of thechannel on the opposing interior sheet surface. The channels are alignedsuch that the legs of the channels can be pressed into releasableengagement to form a seal across the width of the container 10.Resealable closure mechanism 34 may be connected together to form atight seal across the container 10 near its upper end.

The closure mechanism 34 is useful to close the container 10 afterinitial access to the contained article by the recipient through therupture of the sealed container 10 at tubular portion 35. The containerin this configuration serves as a resealable plastic bag for subsequentstorage of the original contained article, or other sundries.

In accordance with the disclosure, spaced inwardly from transversebottom seal strip 28, container 10 includes an air purge mechanismgenerally designated 39. As illustrated it includes a pair of spacedapart, truncated, transverse seal strips 40 and 42. These truncatedtransverse seal strips 40 and 42 are parallel to the bottom and toptransverse seal strips 28 and 32 and extend respectively from one sideseal strip 22 or 24 partially toward the other side seal strip.

As illustrated, truncated transverse seal strip 40 extends from sideseal strip 22 at lateral edge 18 nearly the entire distance to side sealstrip 24 at edge 20 to a terminus 46. It defines a passage 47 betweenits terminus 46 and side seal strip 24.

Similarly, truncated transverse seal strip 42 spaced inward fromtruncated transverse seal strip 40 extends from side seal strip 24 atedge 20 nearly the entire distance to side seal strip 22 at edge 18 to aterminus 48. It defines passage 49 between its terminus 48 and side sealstrip 22. The space between truncated transverse seal strips 40 and 42defines a restricted flow path 50.

The transverse bottom seal strip 28 and truncated seal strip 40 define atubular area 52 denominated a volume reduction port in communicationwith the contained volume within pouch 10 through restricted flow path50 and passages 47 and 49. As such, these areas are evacuated by theevacuation device connected at tubular portion 35. Its function as avolume reduction port is explained below.

While a particular air purge mechanism 39 is illustrated, it iscontemplated that numerous alternative arrangements are suitable. Forexample, the air purge mechanism could comprise a small “one-way”plastic check valve secured in one of the side walls 14 or 16. Also, oneor more additional layers of plastic film, optimized for air evacuationcould be secured by adhesive or heat welding to one of the side walls 14or 16.

It is contemplated that the pouch 10 may be made from aligned,continuous rolls or webs of film in a well-known process. They could bemade by other processes. The webs are cut into individual pieces whichcomprise individual containers 10. Multiple containers 10 are packagedtogether for delivery to the initial commercial user.

The commercial user inserts an article 100, seen in FIG. 2, in theinterior volume or space of package or container 10 within the confinesof side walls 14 and 16. A vacuum device is introduced into the interiorof the container at the open mouth entrance opening 31 at edge 30 whichwithdraws entrained air and collapses the sheets 14 and 16 onto thearticle to create a minimum volume package (best seen in FIG. 2).Transverse top seal strip 32 is then formed by heat sealing to retainthe evacuated condition. Multiple packages are then packaged with othersimilar packages for storage and shipment to ultimate users of thecontained articles.

The available features of the flexible walled collapsible articlecontainer 10 of the present disclosure are utilized in the followingexemplary sequence. As previously described, multiple units of container10 are delivered to the initial commercial user. For example, a garmentmanufacturer inserts an article 100 into container 10 and evacuates thecontainer volume. The container is sealed at seal strip 32 to completethe package. It is evacuated and thus represents a minimum volume.Container 100, and others like it are packed into shipping containerssuch as cardboard boxes, stored and shipped to distributors of thepackaged articles. These represent a minimal space requirement andreduce the expense of these various handling functions.

On distribution of the articles to an ultimate user, the side wallsheets 14 and 16 of a container 10 are cut along line 37 to removetransverse top seal strip 32 above the closure mechanism 34. Manualseparation of closure mechanism 34 provides access to interior volumefor removal of article 100.

On removal of article 100 as described, the container 10 is usable as aflexible storage container. The closure mechanism 34 provides a meansfor resealing the otherwise open top end of container 10.

Should it be desirable to accomplish minimization of volume, as in theinitial use by the packaging entity, it is only necessary to render theair purge mechanism 39 operational. This is accomplished by cutting theside wall sheets 12 and 14, within volume reduction port 52 for example,along dotted line 57 to provide communication to the atmosphere atpassage 47 through restricted flow path 50 and passage 49. Cut line 57thereafter defines the bottom edge of container 10.

To use the volume minimization function, an article 100 is placed incontainer 10 through the open mouth entrance opening 31 of the container10. The “press to close” seal mechanism 34 is manually closed to form aseal above the article which is positioned between mechanism 34 andtruncated transverse seal strip 42. The container 10, with contents 100,is then rolled from its top edge represented by cut line 37 toward itsbottom edge represented by cut line 57 to reduce internal volume. Airwithin the container is forced out through air purge mechanism 39 alongrestricted flow path 50, which communicates with the atmosphere atvolume reduction port 52. Though an opening remains at passage 47, it isonly necessary to hold the container 10 in its compressed, minimumvolume condition, until inserted into a confined position, such as in apacked suitcase. It will remain compressed and in its minimum volumecondition until removed by the user to again retrieve the contentsthrough the open mouth at cut line 37 by manually opening closuremechanism 34.

Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope ofthe present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed anddefined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more ofthe individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/ordrawings. All of these different combinations constitute variousalternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments describedherein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention andwill enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. Theclaims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to theextent permitted by the prior art.

1. A collapsible article container, comprising a pair of side wallsconnected along side edges and a transverse bottom edge to define aninterior pouch volume having an entrance opening along a transversesealable top edge, an air purge mechanism in communication with saidpouch volume to provide air evacuation from said pouch.
 2. A collapsiblearticle container as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of saidside walls may be ruptured to place said air purge mechanism incommunication with the atmosphere.
 3. A collapsible article container asclaimed in claim 2 wherein said air purge mechanism includes a firsttruncated seal connecting said side walls spaced from said bottom edgetoward said entrance opening extending from one of said side edges andhaving a terminus spaced from the other of said side edges to define apassage therebetween.
 4. A collapsible article container as claimed inclaim 3 wherein said air purge mechanism includes a second truncatedseal connecting said side walls spaced toward said entrance opening fromfirst truncated seal extending from the other of said side edges andhaving a terminus spaced from said first one of said side edges todefine a passage therebetween.
 5. A collapsible article container asclaimed in claim 4 wherein said first truncated seal and said secondtruncated seal of said air purge mechanism define a restricted flow pathcommunicating with said pouch volume through said passage defined bysaid terminus of said second truncated seal and said side edge fromwhich it is spaced.
 6. A collapsible article container as claimed inclaim 5 wherein said bottom edge and said at first truncated seal definea tubular volume reduction port in communication with said restrictedflow path between said truncated seals of said air purge mechanismthrough said passage defined by said terminus of said first truncatedseal and said side edge from which it is spaced.
 7. A collapsiblearticle container as claimed in claim 6 wherein said volume reductionport is in communication with said pouch volume through said passagesand said restricted flow path and said air purge mechanism is placed incommunication with the atmosphere by rupturing said side wall at saidvolume reduction port.
 8. A collapsible article container as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said pouch includes a closure mechanism spaced from saidtop edge toward said bottom edge, said side walls define a tubularportion between said transverse top seal and said closure mechanism andsaid tubular portion may be ruptured to provide access to said interiorpouch volume through said closure mechanism.
 9. A collapsible articlecontainer as claimed in claim 8 wherein said closure includes agenerally “U” shaped channel element secured to each of said side walls,each said channel facing the channel on the other said side wall, saidchannels aligned for releasable engagement with each other.
 10. Acollapsible article container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pouchincludes a closure mechanism spaced from said top edge toward saidbottom edge, said side walls define a tubular portion between saidtransverse top seal and said closure mechanism and said tubular portionmay be ruptured to provide access to said interior pouch volume throughsaid closure mechanism.
 11. A collapsible article container as claimedin claim 10 wherein said closure includes a generally “U” shaped channelelement secured to each of said side walls, each said channel facing thechannel on the other said side wall, said channels aligned forreleasable engagement with each other.
 12. A collapsible articlecontainer as claimed in claim 10 wherein said air purge mechanismincludes a first truncated seal connecting said side walls spaced fromsaid bottom edge toward said entrance opening extending from one of saidside edges and having a terminus spaced from the other of said sideedges to define a passage therebetween,
 13. A collapsible articlecontainer as claimed in claim 13 wherein said air purge mechanismincludes a second truncated seal connecting said side walls spacedtoward said entrance opening from first truncated seal extending fromthe other of said side edges and having a terminus spaced from saidfirst one of said side edges to define a passage therebetween.
 14. Acollapsible article container as claimed in claim 13 wherein said firsttruncated seal and said second truncated seal of said air purgemechanism define a restricted flow path communicating with said pouchvolume through said passage defined by said terminus of said secondtruncated seal and said side edge from which it is spaced.
 15. Acollapsible article container as claimed in claim 14 wherein said bottomedge and said at first truncated seal define a tubular volume reductionport in communication with said restricted flow path between saidtruncated seals of said air purge mechanism through said passage definedby said terminus of said first truncated seal and said side edge fromwhich it is spaced.
 16. A collapsible article container as claimed inclaim 15 wherein said volume reduction port is in communication withsaid pouch volume through said passages and said restricted flow pathand said air purge mechanism is placed in communication with theatmosphere by rupturing said side wall at said volume reduction port.17. A method of packaging an article using a collapsible articlecontainer comprising: a pair of side walls connected along side edgesand a transverse bottom edge to define an interior pouch volume havingan entrance opening along a transverse top edge, an air purge mechanismin communication with said pouch volume to provide an air evacuationfrom said pouch, a closure mechanism spaced from said top edge towardsaid bottom edge, said side walls define a tubular portion between saidtransverse top seal and said closure mechanism and said tubular portionmay be ruptured to provide access to said interior pouch volume throughsaid closure mechanism, providing an article, inserting said articleinto said pouch volume though said entrance opening, evacuating saidpouch volume through said entrance opening, sealing said transverse topedge of said container.
 18. A method of repackaging articles using acollapsible article container containing an article, said containercomprising: a collapsible article container comprising a pair of sidewalls connected along side edges and a transverse bottom edge to definean interior pouch volume having an entrance opening along a transversetop edge, an air purge mechanism in communication with said pouch volumeto provide air evacuation from said pouch a closure mechanism spacedfrom said top edge toward said bottom edge, said side walls define atubular portion between said transverse top seal and said closuremechanism and said tubular portion may be ruptured to provide access tosaid interior pouch volume through said closure mechanism, a removablearticle disposed in said pouch volume and a transverse top seal sealingsaid entrance opening, a volume reduction port in at least one of saidside walls closed to the atmosphere and in communication with said pouchvolume, the steps comprising rupturing at least one of said side wallsat said tubular portion and removing said article originally disposed insaid pouch volume, inserting an article within said pouch volume,closing said closure mechanism, rupturing at least one of said sidewalls in said volume reduction port to communicate said volume reductionport to atmosphere, compressing said pouch volume from said closuremechanism toward said truncated seals to cause air contained within saidpouch volume to exit through said passages and said restricted flowpath.
 19. A method of repackaging an article using a flexible articlecontainer as claimed in claim 18 the steps further comprising securingsaid container in said compressed condition to maintain a minimum pouchvolume.
 20. A collapsible article container, comprising a pair of sidewalls connected along side edges and a transverse bottom edge to definean interior pouch volume having an entrance opening along a transversesealable top edge, a seal sealing said top edge, an air purge mechanismin communication with said pouch volume to provide air evacuation fromsaid pouch wherein said pouch includes a closure mechanism spaced fromsaid sealed top edge toward said bottom edge, said side walls define atubular portion between said transverse top seal and said closuremechanism and said tubular portion may be ruptured to provide access tosaid interior pouch volume through said closure mechanism.